Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror

Basil Rathbone's third appearance as Arthur Conan Doyle's eccentric sleuth and the first in Universal's series of 12 films in which the master detective is transplanted from Victorian England to the modern era in which the films were made. "Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror" was not that unusual in that, until 20th Century Fox produced "The Hound of the Baskervilles" in 1939, most previous Holmes films had also placed our hero in contemporary society. It was not until this film, however, that the contemporary aspects were given such strong emphasis.

There's no Moriarty on hand this time, as Holmes and Watson (played, of course, by Nigel Bruce) join Britain in battling the Nazis. It's all a little awkward, but there is some fine atmosphere, especially in a scene in which Holmes and Watson visit a seedy pub in search of information. The cast is good, with Thomas Gomez as a very effective villain, Evelyn Ankers as the proverbial bad girl with a heart of gold, and, as a diplomat, the wickedly suave Henry Daniell who would return to play Professor Moriarty in "The Woman in Green." Best of all is Rathbone, who is razor sharp despite a very peculiar hairstyle that looks like it belongs in a gladiator flick.

The series improved considerably once Roy William Neill took over as director with the second film, and later entries that did not emphasize the "modern" concept, like "Spider Woman" and, most particularly, "The Scarlet Claw," are far superior, but "Voice of Terror" is still an entertaining show, perfect viewing on a rainy, fog shrouded night.